TEHRAN – Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Thursday honored the memory of the late Navab Safavi, who stood up against the former dictatorial regime and was martyred by the deposed shah.

In a meeting with the committee for honoring Navab Safavi, the Leader said that the Fedayeen Islam (Devotees of Islam) rose up in rebellion when the Islamic movement had the least support.

January 17 marked the 49th anniversary of Navab Safavi's martyrdom. Navab Safavi founded the organization in the 1940s. It was the first group to call for an Islamic state in Iran in the 20th century. The organization assassinated several prime ministers of the previous regime. Safavi was executed in 1957.

On the difference between the Fedayeen Islam and other groups that rebelled against the shah before the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the Leader stated that it was the Fedayeen Islam that were the pioneers in advocating an Islamic state based on the Quran while others fought the previous regime for different reasons and none of them sought an Islamic state.

Ayatollah Khamenei noted that Navab Safavi had a great influence on theology students, including himself, and revived the spirit of resistance in their hearts at that time. “He always talked about politics and encouraged everyone to remember God, the hereafter, and the divine judgment.”